Recently, I read a wonderful article on
Huffington Post by Richard Eskow that questioned if Chris Christie is the true
face of the Republican Party. Chris Christie has been sold in a
Democratic State as a different kind of “Republican” and is labeled as a “moderate,”
a “pragmatist,” a counterbalance to the far-right ideology of the Tea
Party Republicans.
Republicans claim to hate big government but they want to expand Defense Departments. They promote personal responsibility and detest food stamps, but support farm bills and tax abatement programs for corporations. They claim to want government to have no input into their personal lives but they want to forget that notion when it comes to telling women what to do with their bodies.
Republicans claim to hate big government but they want to expand Defense Departments. They promote personal responsibility and detest food stamps, but support farm bills and tax abatement programs for corporations. They claim to want government to have no input into their personal lives but they want to forget that notion when it comes to telling women what to do with their bodies.
This paragraph introduces us to the real
Governor Chris Christie.
“Tax giveaways for big corporations? Christie doled
out $1.57 billion for “job creation,” with far fewer jobs created
than across the river in New York State.
Following the ALEC (American Legislative Exchange
Council) agenda funded by the Koch Brothers and other big corporate interests?
As the New Jersey Star-Ledger reported in 2012, “At least three bills, one executive order and one
agency rule accomplish the same goals set out by ALEC using the same specific
policies. In eight passages contained in those documents, New Jersey
initiatives and ALEC proposals line up almost word for word.”
Meet the new GOP;
they are same as the old GOP. And say
what you will about him, but Chris Christie is a hell of a “snakeoil” salesman.
He’s managed to make this radical corporatist agenda look “moderate.”
This lesson is important to Democrats in
Shelby County, Tennessee. We are the blue corner of a red state; and the
purple areas of the state are depending upon us to wave the blue flag
rather than a white flag of retreat.
Here in Shelby, we have the same situation.
So-called “moderate Republicans” who have all the social graces,
broad smiles and firm handshakes to make you feel so comfortable and
you never realize that they use your resources to carry out the agenda of the
Republican Party in this Democratic County. It is time for a Democratic
revolt!
We need a Democratic
County Mayor to serve as our drum major on health care. “Our County
Mayor” should make it uncomfortable for the Governor to continue to ignore the
Affordable Health Care Program.
A Democratic County Mayor
in Shelby County understands the best ways to reduce poverty in Shelby County
is to improve education and create jobs. The federal Pre-K program is critical
to our community. The County Mayor should work with the Republican
Senators to find provisions that would allow those funds to come directly to Shelby County
to support our needs that may be unique to the state.
Ø A Democratic County Mayor would not have been quiet when the County withdrew funds
from Planned Parenthood. Those actions underscored the
Republicans’ national agenda. A Democratic Mayor would have
understood that those funds serve health care issues for women.
Ø A Democratic County Mayor would find it difficult to be silent on the ALEC
movement that swept through this state and created Stand Your Ground and Voter
ID Laws and laws to restrict municipalities from have prevailing and
living wage ordinances. All of this is ALEC and it opposes the Democratic
principles of our Party.
Ø A Democratic County Mayor would work with Unions and appreciate the value of the
workforce and labor protections.
I hope when the filing deadline looms for the
Shelby County Races, we will see Democrats challenging Republicans.
Please do not buy the rhetoric that there is a not a Republican or Democratic
leadership style for local politics. If that were true, these
headlines would not be in the media.
ELECTION 2014: South Carolina GOP asks for cash to win
more local races – Red to the Roots
--Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/01/08/3195713/election-2014-sc-gop-asks-for.html#storylink=cpy
Republicans may reconsider national strategy amid batch
of local elections -- (The Guardian, November 5, 2013)
Those are the headlines in other areas. But, it did
not take long to find a quote from the Tennessee
Republican Chairman Chris Devaney
announcing “Red to Roots” program.
Devaney is quoted by Tom Humphrey, reporter from the Knoxville News Sentinel,
July 21, 2013:
“We’ve had a lot of success with our state-level
candidates,” Devaney said, referring to the GOP supermajority in the
legislature and Republicans holding the governor’s office, both U.S. Senate
seats and seven of nine U.S. House seats. “Now, we’re ready to look at the local offices — county mayors, sheriffs
and maybe a few judgeships.
These are places where Democrats still have a hold,” he
said. “It’s their bench” for candidates who could in the future seek a
state-level office. With local-level partisan campaigns, he said, “We can build
our bench.”
The “Red to the Roots” program, Devaney said, has
generated “a lot of excitement” among local Republican groups as well as within
the Republican State Executive Committee membership. The effort was officially
launched at the GOP’s Statesman’s Dinner fundraiser earlier this month.”
They are building a bench to continue a
lineage of leadership for state general assembly seats and promote their agenda
to local levels. We cannot afford to retreat and “play nice”. We
must vote for quality, articulate, responsible democratic leaders on
the local level. This will be a year crowded with political activity and
names. Let’s be careful and vote for people in the May
Democratic Primary who can not only represent us well but can
get elected in the August General election.
Not only does it counter Republicans from
building a bench, it will also help us with our National Presidential
Election in 2016. Let’s get our game ready in 2014 for 2016 and having
Democratic Shelby County leaders to lead our national election is a good start.
We can win in Shelby County! Remember,
when Democrats win, the People win.
As we approach the 2014 NFL Superbowl, with
over 160 positions on our ballot this year in Shelby County, here’s our
Democratic Playbook: Let’s keep our Big
Tent People Together and Elect Democrats!
About
TaJuan Stout Mitchell
Elected to the Memphis City
School Board in 1991 and served as its President of the Board in 1997-97. She was elected to the City Council in
October 1999 and served as the 2006 Chairman of the City Council. She is retired from the American Cancer
Society, where she served as the Executive Director and retired from the City
of Memphis in 2012. She received a B.A.
degree in Sociology and Education from Lane College and an M.A. in Education
Administration from Trevecca Nazarene University. Mrs. Mitchell has also
completed post graduate work in the area of social work administration at the
University of Tennessee.
In December 2006 I was appointed by the Mayor of the City of Memphis to head the Office of Intergovernmental Relations. In this position I provided leadership and manages the network of contacts to impact state and federal policy for the City of Memphis.
I am an amateur photographer and a sports enthusiast. I supported the NBA Grizzlies’ move to Memphis and is still an avid fan of Coach Lionel Hollins.
I am married to Retired District Chief Ronald E. Mitchell, Sr. and they have lived in the Whitehaven Community of Memphis for 28 years. We have a blended family of four children, Nakia, Cathryn, Ron, Jr. and Evelyn, and seven grandchildren.
I believe everyone can be philanthropists and find personal joy in raising funds for non profits and serving on the Board of Directors for the Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis.
